


Boats and Birds

by DustyTales



Category: Nightwing (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, The Flash - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Coming Out, Kid Fic, M/M, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 13:19:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19335319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustyTales/pseuds/DustyTales
Summary: DickWally Week Day 1 - Accidental Baby AcquisitionWally has been dating single dad Dick Grayson for a few months now, and he's never been happier.But how does one explain to a child their "Uncle" Wally is far from just their uncle?





	Boats and Birds

**Author's Note:**

> I stretched this prompt very far but I don't even care
> 
> You'll understand why I named this fic after the song Boats and Birds by Gregory and the Hawk if you listen to it, trust me.

Dick had been a single dad to little Mar'i for years now. The little family had been only two since Mar'i was 7 years old, and while Dick had clearly been torn apart by grief at the loss of Kori, he made do. He picked himself up, and taking care of his daughter became the center of his world.

Dick didn't like to ask for help. Even when he became a widower, he refused to move back to Gotham so his family could take some of the burden of fatherhood off him. Bludhaven was his home, and they needed Nightwing, so Dick found a way to make it work.

But Dick was never really alone, because he always had Wally. Wally had been the shoulder he cried on when Kori dead. Wally was Mar'i's go to babysitter when Dick was on patrol. Wally was the one who reassured Dick that it wasn't a betrayal to his late wife if he started dating again. 

Wally hadn't really been hinting that  _ he  _ and Dick should date, even if it was always in the back of his mind. It felt too much like taking advantage, and as the years passed, Wally grounded himself in the idea Dick needed him as a friend  _ more. _

Dick ended up making the first move, because that was just the kind of man Dick was. And now, several months in, it was clear that what they had wasn't going to blow over anytime soon. They laughed about it together, about how it had taken them nearly 20 years to act on their feelings, but somehow it still turned out perfect. Their friends and family laughed with them, of course, because how had none of them seen this coming? How had this snuck up on any of them?

Sometimes Dick worried Kori wouldn't approve, but deep down he knew she would want him to be happy. And with Wally, he was happy.

But talking to his adult friends and teenage brothers about this was one thing, talking to his daughter was another. They had waited, they had wanted to make sure this was  _ real  _ before they got her hopes up. Dick's last serious girlfriend leaving had crushed Mar'i. But Wally reminded Dick that Mar'i was nearly 11. She wasn't a baby anymore, and didn't need the same kind of shielding.

"I… don't actually know if she knows what being gay is." Dick admitted one morning after Mar'i had been shipped off to school.

Wally tilted his head thoughtfully. He wasn't certain if he had known about homosexuality at ten years old, and he was bi. If Mar'i was straight, (and God, she was entirely too young for him to be asking that question) and no one had ever talked to her about homosexuality, she would have no way of knowing about it. If her dad's new boyfriend was a guy she didn't know suddenly hanging around a lot, maybe she'd have had reason to think about it. But Wally was always around, had been since she was little. She'd have no way of knowing the context of the time Wally and her dad spent together had changed.

"So this isn't just going to be telling her you're dating again," Wally finally answered, "You have you come out to your daughter."

Dick sighed, sagging back against the couch. "Yeah. And part of me can't shake the idea that I'd be somehow… corrupting her."

Wally looked at his boyfriend in surprise, and for the first time really saw how the years had aged Dick. The laugh lines forming around his lips were charming, but the crows feet and bags around his eyes really showed just how much he'd been through.

They weren't kids anymore, Wally realized all at once. They were men in their mid 30s, and their bodies showed the wear and tear. Their actions weren't just about themselves anymore, and for Dick, they hadn't been that way in a decade. 

Wally realized that Dick genuinely had to think about how it would effect Mar'i if she had two dads. And not only that, if she  _ suddenly  _ had two dads when she could still remember having both a mom and a dad. But somehow, the idea of being Mar'i's second dad didn't scare Wally. He'd been "Uncle Wally" from day one, but he'd always been more than that to her deep down, and she'd always been more than a niece to him.

"You don't really think we're doing something wrong, do you?" Wally questioned, feeling worried and a little hurt. "Like… us both being men."

Dick looked at him, face sullen and sad. "I don't." He answered after a moment of hesitation, "But so many people will see us that way. I don't want  _ us  _ to hurt her."

Wally reached out, pulling Dick close and guiding his face into the crook of his neck. Dick came willingly, nosing into his partners skin with a small sigh.

"You love her." Wally said firmly. "And I love her. And we love each other. Doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with that to me."

"Stay for dinner tonight." Dick muttered as his response. "After we eat, we'll tell her."

 

Dick had actually become a pretty decent cook in the past few years, and the turkey casserole they had that night was delicious. As Mar'i helped clear the table, the two adults made eye contact over her head, and nodded to each other. 

"Mar'i, come sit with us for a minute." Dick told the girl once all the dishes were in the kitchen, "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Am I in trouble?" The little girl questioned, eyes wide.

Dick had to bite back a chuckle. "No, starshine, not at all," the dark haired man seated himself on the living room couch before patting his knee, "Come sit with Daddy."

Wally settled onto the couch next to his partner as the little alien crawled into her father's lap. The redhead's couldn't hold back a fond smile at the image before him, the man he loved looking down at the little ray of sunshine, as the girl folded her legs under her and got comfortable in her papa's embrace.

Dick shot Wally a look out of the corner of his eye, and Wally gave him what he hoped was a reassuring nod. 

"So… sweetheart..." Dick began, sounding hesitant, "You remember Barbara, right? Daddy's friend in the wheelchair?"

Wally blinked in confusion, no idea where Dick was going with this. Babs had been Dick's last girlfriend, the two giving dating a shot again now that they were both adults. It hadn't worked out, and while the two had remained friends just like before, Mar'i had really gotten attached to Barbara, and hadn't taken the break up well.

Mar'i's green eyes lit up. "Are you and Auntie Babs getting back together?!"

Wally bit his lip to hold back a giggle, and Dick shot him a quick glare.

"Um… No, honey, we're not. Auntie Babs and I decided it was better to just be friends." Dick stumbled, "I bring it up because uh… Daddy is dating again. And I wanted to prepare you for that."

Mar'i seemed no less enthused, and bounced a little on her father's knee. "Ooo! Ooo! Who is she Daddy? When can I meet her?"

Wally could see Dick struggling, so he put a hand on the little girl's head to ruffle her pigtails.

"I know you're excited, kiddo, but let your Daddy talk, okay?" Wally asked gently, smiling reassuringly at Dick, "We've got some grown up things we need to help you understand first."

The little girl tilted her head the way she did when she was  _ really  _ thinking about something, but she remained quiet and returned her attention to her father.

Dick looked relieved, nodding at Wally in appreciation.

"Right. So," Dick began again, "You've seen Daddy date women before. You know what that looks like. And I'm sure you've seen plenty of men and women date before. Most men like to date women, most women like to date men. But… not all of them." Dick visibly swallowed.

"Some men… Like Daddy, for instance… Also like to date other men. So uh… sometimes Daddy dates women, and sometimes Daddy dates men. And right now… Daddy is dating a man."

Mar'i blinked up at her father, her expression making it clear she was having some sort of epiphany.

"So… boys can date other boys? Can girls date other girls?" Her question was so innocent and urnist it caused her father to start.

"Yes, of course they can, starshine," Dick furrowed his brows, clearly taking this question seriously, "There are no rules about who can and can't date. At least, not based on gender. Not everyone  _ likes _ everyone else though. Like that boy last year who liked you that you didn't want to go out with."

Mar'i made a face, and both Wally and Dick had to fight down their amusement.

"Most boys only like girls," Dick continued, "And that's okay. It's okay for anyone to like anyone. If a girl likes a girl, no one gets to tell them they aren't allowed to go out with them because they're both girls. Some people might try to, but those people are wrong. Boys like Daddy who like other boys are… uncommon. But it's not weird, or bad. And girls who like other girls aren't weird either."

Mar'i tilted her head again, her tiny lips pursed in thought.

"So Daddy likes boys and girls. And there are wrong people who say that's not allowed." She parroted, clearly testing these new facts on her tongue, "Daddy is dating a boy now. So… are people gonna be mean to Daddy and Daddy's boyfriend?"

God, kids always seem to cut to the heart of issues. Maybe it was their black and white thinking, but they always found a way to boil problems down to their most fundamental parts. Wally was shocked by how easily Mar'i was digesting all of this, and Dick clearly was as well.

The raven haired man let out a sigh, before smiling affectionately down at his daughter.

"Some people might." Dick said, leaning down to kiss Mar'i's forehead, "But Daddy and his boyfriend are grown ups, we can handle it. And besides, those people are wrong, so the wrong things they say don't matter."

The little girl nodded slowly, cracking a smile up at her dad after few seconds.

"Do I still get to meet Daddy's boyfriend?" She asked.

Wally snorted, but Dick ignored him and smiled down at his daughter.

"You actually have," Dick answered, eyes darting up to meet Wally's playfully, "Daddy is actually dating… Uncle Wally."

Mar'i sat bolt upright, face lighting up as she looked back and forth between Dick and Wally. Her eyes finally settled on her father's face before words came streaming from her mouth.

"Daddy is dating Uncle Wally?! Were you dating him the whole time? Did Auntie Babs know?! Do you kiss and cuddle and go on dates and have special alone time just like Daddy and his girlfriends did?!"

Dick's face flushed a deep red at the phrase "special alone time," and Wally was forced to slap his hand over his mouth to shut himself up.

The questions lasted  _ long _ into the night:

No, Daddy wasn't dating Uncle Wally when he was with Auntie Babs.

Yes, Daddy and Uncle Wally kiss, and cuddle, and go on dates.

Yes, she's allowed to tell other people.

And as Mar'i curled up against Wally's chest, happily chattering away, Wally smiled. Being a step-dad to an alien hybrid wasn't what he planned for his life...

But the speedster wouldn't change it for the world.


End file.
